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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27724268">Toy</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/JMount74/pseuds/JMount74'>JMount74</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Fluffember 2020 [22]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Thunderbirds</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 17:09:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,406</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27724268</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/JMount74/pseuds/JMount74</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Some toys have special places in our hearts</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Fluffember 2020 [22]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1997284</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Toy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She smiled. </p>
<p>The bed had been made and in between the pillows he’d placed Sayang.</p>
<p>Sayang had been one of the first gifts she had been given. He was now a ratty teddy, but when new he had been a plump, plush sky-blue teddy with dark blue heart, inner ears and paws. It had been the first Western toy she had been given.</p>
<p>Ten years old, suddenly thrust into a family of five boys, a father, a Grandmother, a kind-of weird cousin, she’d arrived with just the clothes on her back. She’d been living on the run with her father for such a long time that they had nothing to bring with them. Even before then, when life had been happy and carefree her only toys had been simple and homemade.</p>
<p>Not long after she had punched Gordon in the eye*, Jeff took all five boys and herself to the mainland – which she learned was Australia, not the closest but the one the boys liked – to go shopping for Scott and John before they left for university and to pick up Grandma, who she had only seen on the comms. All she knew was that Grandma was going to help her shop for clothes.</p>
<p>Grandma was waiting at the airport, and Tanusha again tried to hide, this time behind Mr Tracy. She’d been at the island for three months now and Mr Tracy had tried to insist she called him Jeff, but she couldn’t. Papa didn’t call their saviour by his first name, and it didn’t feel right for her to do so. Neither was she going to call him Bapa Saudara. She had an uncle, and she did not want another. So he remained Mr Tracy. </p>
<p>Grandma was another matter. Ignoring Jeff and her boys completely, she knelt in front of Tanusha and gently pulled her into a hug. She remained tense until Sally let her go. Offering the little girl her hand, Sally told her how happy she was to finally meet her. Tanusha took her hand, slightly overawed by the lady in front of her. This was Mr Tracy’s mother, and she was dressed in a purple suit and had brown hair like Mr Tracy.</p>
<p>‘I know we’ve just met, dear, but I want you to call me Grandma like the boys do. You can call me Grandma, or Grandma Sally or Grandma Tracy, whatever you feel comfortable with.’ Tanusha paused at this. She had never known her Nenek – neither of them – so this was something different for her and she was unsure how to react. What would her papa want?<br/>‘You don’t have to decide now, Sweetie, let’s spend some time getting to know each other.’ This made Tanusha relax just a little. There was no pressure to choose.</p>
<p>They all went for lunch together. The boys wanted burgers – a favourite food she had come to realise, and she was starting to enjoy them – vegetarian of course. She was much more relaxed with the boys now. </p>
<p>Punching Gordon really was the best ice breaker there could have been, and she now spent most of her time with the two youngest. She had become fast friends with Gordon, and Alan, who still sometimes just stared at her, had begun to interact with her too. They were fast becoming a trio, and her papa had started to shake his head when they were together, a fond but exasperated smile on his face.</p>
<p>Her relationship with the older three was a little different. She adored John. He was quiet and contained, but he would sit with her and read, and he put her under no pressure to do or speak or act. She liked Virgil. He was gentle and kind. He’d asked her about if she liked painting or drawing, or music. Sometimes she sought him out while he was playing and would sit under the piano and listen. He’d offered to teach her, but she was content to just listen.</p>
<p>Scott was different. She wasn’t sure what he was. He treated her like John and Virgil, but with a combination of warmth and a touch of reserve. Virgil had said his eldest brother was worried about leaving them all behind, and she supposed there would be some truth to that. She’d only known the boys under a month, but she would hate to be sent away, even willingly.</p>
<p>The early afternoon was spent clothes shopping. Tanusha had never had so many clothes! Clothes for smart, clothes for hiking, clothes for the house, clothes for bed. Nothing was yet said about clothes for school, but she was under no illusion that that would happen. And shoes for each occasion. Swimwear, a really beautiful gown for extra special. Grandma indulged the granddaughter she had never had, and they spent literally hours getting essentials.</p>
<p>When they finally met up again the boys looked like they had shopped as much as she had. They all went to the café in the mall, as the boys called it, and hot chocolate and cake was dished out all round as bags were opened and purchases shared.</p>
<p>Scott and John showed off smart new coats and shoes, Scott particularly proud of a new leather jacket and John showing a large leather satchel he said he’d always wanted. Virgil showed them all new pastels and a painting smock, which was greeted by eye rolls and light jeers of ‘I’d like to see you wear that to school.’ Gordon and Alan displayed new uniforms, new shoes and two new games consoles. Tan had learnt that they spent a lot of free time killing zombies. She showed off her gown and some of her casual wear, but was quieter and still shy about sharing.</p>
<p>Jeff brought out two remaining bags from under the table. Silently he passed something over to each of his sons.</p>
<p>Alan was given a science kit – build your own rocket – with strict instructions as to when and where he could do this. He bounced up and down on his seat.</p>
<p>Gordon received what looked like a plushie squid, which he was excited with, until he noticed there was a pocket. Inside the pocket was a small waterproof camera. He was ecstatic.</p>
<p>Virgil received some sheet music that was obviously something he really wanted because he surged off his chair and hugged his father tight.</p>
<p>John and Scott got a set of keys each. They looked at each other, grinning, and then back at their father. Jeff was going to ensure his children had the means to look after themselves while they were away.  They knew how to drive – they’d been driving the tractors around the farms for years – but driving outside was a different matter. The fights he’d had over Scott’s desire for a motorbike over the last few months had been epic. His boys might be younger than most going to university, but he was going to ensure that they could get around so that they were not lonely.</p>
<p>Then Jeff turned to Tanusha. She felt herself turning red from the attention. The last bag was half full, and he handed her the whole bag. She looked uncertainly at him and Grandma Tracy, and both nodded for her to continue.</p>
<p>Opening the bag and placing each item on the table in front of her, she found three different types of dolls, six different types of toy cars, one Meccano set, a box of painting bits and pieces, a pair of boxing mitts and a teddy. She stared at the collection, not quite understanding.</p>
<p>‘We know that you don’t have any toys or anything, Tan,’ Gordon started. ‘So we all bought you something we thought you would like.’</p>
<p>No-one claimed what they had bought her, and it didn’t really matter. She was touched that they all had thought of her, and she knew she’d treasure these as long as possible.</p>
<p>As long as possible lasted several years. One of the dolls survived on a stand guarding the door. The boxing gloves still had a place in the gym. The only other survivor was Sayang. Named for Grandma Tracy calling her sweetie the first time they had met; he had a special place both in her heart and on her bed. The rest had long since gone.</p>
<p>It made her heart skip a beat to see he’d placed her ratty bear, the first Tracy love of her life, where he belonged.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>*Refers to my story Touch</p></blockquote></div></div>
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